Stephen Levine was an American poet, author, and teacher best known for his work on death and dying. For over thirty years, Stephen—along with his wife Ondrea—provided emotional and spiritual support for those who were life-threatened, and for caregivers. He is one of a generation of pioneering teachers who, along with Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, Ram Dass, and Sharon Salzberg, have made the teachings of Theravada Buddhism more widely available to students in the West. He is the author of A Gradual Awakening, Healing into Life and Death, Guided Meditations, Explorations and Healings, and Who Dies?. Stephen Levine passed away in 2016 at the age of 78.